Freedom isn’t free, and like it or not, money always talks
One of these days, the most ardent advocates for free speech are going to have to finally learn what it actually means. Leaving aside the glaring misnomer that we actually have such a thing enshrined in Canadian law (the Charter protects freedom of expression, with limits), in no context—even the oft-cribbed American version—is freedom from […]
Leaders’ debate format a recipe for populist fodder
OTTAWA—The broadcast debate rule makers need to take another look at their election work. By the current rules established for party leader participation, floor-crosser Lucien Bouchard would have been silenced. At the time of the 1993 election, Bouchard was the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, having been previously elected as a Progressive Conservative. His party did […]
No national leaders at Capital Pride Parade, but 10 Liberal MPs will attend
There won’t be any federal party leaders at the Capital Pride Parade on Aug. 25, but local Liberal MPs and other party candidates will be there. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won’t be at the parade, a spokesperson for Mr. Trudeau told The Hill Times. Mr. Trudeau will be travelling on the day of the parade, […]
Contradictory polls ‘perfectly predictable,’ reflect volatility among voters, say pollsters
Contradictory poll results this far out from the election reflect the undecided population and, unlike the results themselves, are “perfectly predictable,” say some pollsters, but others say the recent variations raise important questions about transparency, standards, and reporting. So far, horse-race polls reveal a tight two-way race between the Conservatives and Liberals, but how tight […]
Federal government’s efforts to rein in climate change fall short, with expectations highest in Quebec, poll suggests
The Trudeau government’s response to climate change is falling short of many Canadians’ expectations, a new national poll suggests. But that doesn’t necessarily mean people are willing to bear the costs of aggressive targets and policies designed to reduce fossil-fuel dependency, said Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research. Forum Research’s survey suggested that 63 per […]
Next election shaping up to be a much more contested affair than originally predicted
OTTAWA—In light of the recent code of conduct clarifications around registered lobbyists and political commentary, I have arrived at the conclusion that the risk level involved is inversely proportional to the actual value of the strategic advice that is being offered, essentially being wrong is the new being right. So, if giving bad advice is […]
There’s an app for that: Conservative MP Rempel gets an app
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel may be the first Canadian politician with their own app. The high-profile former Harper cabinet minister has cultivated a large following on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, with over 126,000, 92,000, and 35,000, followers and subscribers respectively. Ms. Rempel’s office told The Hill Times that the app has yet to be finished, […]
If this week’s dumb shrieking battles are any sign, this election won’t be pretty
OTTAWA—The past week provided a sadly predictable look ahead at this fall’s federal election. Dynamism was eschewed for dumb shrieking battles that we have seen a million times before and ultimately advance nothing but the same old partisan pepper spray. Sprinkle in the silly and you get a feel for what is coming our way. […]
Bernier denies Oxford candidate disqualified for being gay, calls allegation ‘unfounded’
People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier on Thursday denied a would-be candidate’s claim that he was disqualified from seeking the party’s nomination because he’s gay. In a series of tweets on Thursday, Mr. Bernier (Beauce, Que.) dismissed the accusation, saying, it was “unfounded.” “Let me be very clear on this. PPC has several candidates, EDA execs […]
Former Ontario Conservative MP Chisu to run as a People’s Party candidate in upcoming election
A former one-term Conservative MP has left his party and has joined the People’s Party of Canada, saying his former party had been delaying holding the nomination contest and “shopping around” for another candidate. “I’m disappointed, absolutely disappointed by the party,” said Corneliu Chisu who turned 70 years old last month, adding he has a […]
